An outstanding lawyer named Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr) is forced to come to his hometown, Carlinville, Indiana whereas his father (Robert Douvall) is a judge in the town. Hank comes home because he gets news that his mother passed away. He has bad relationship with his family especially his father moreover his father just got a case, in which he is a suspect of a murder. It becomes such a mystery in Palmer family life.